Upper body garment having integrated gloves

ABSTRACT

A hoodie having integrated gloves defines a modified gloved garment for provide a unitary garment that can cover the entire upper body of a user. The modified gloved garment includes a garment base that defines in one embodiment a defines a hooded sweatshirt, a sleeve attachment system integrated with the garment base, a pair of hand coverings such as gloves or mittens. In one embodiment, the attachment system includes a reinforced sleeve cuff on the garment base and an attachment strap. The attachment strap extends at one end from the sleeve cuff and is configured to engage the hand covering and attach at the other end to the sleeve cuff so as to couple the hand covering with the sleeve cuff.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to apparel and, more particularly, to a hooded sweatshirt which includes attachable gloves.

Description of the Prior Art

The design of hooded sweatshirts (or “hoodies”) as a upper body garment that has an attached hood is well established. The inclusion of the hood, as well as optional items such as a muff on the front of the garment and a draw string on the hood, is generally understood to better equip a hood to provide protection and warmth to a wearer from cold and/or wet conditions. A problem which still exists, however, is that because typical hoodie designs often do not include movable hand coverings, a wearer's hands will often not be protected unless the wearer keeps them inside the muff. While a separate set of gloves can be worn to address this problem, it is difficult for many users, such as kids, to keep track of detached gloves, particularly in settings where one would repeatedly take them off and put them back on. Thus, there remains a need for a hoodie having integrated gloves which would provide full coverage for the upper body of a wearer without requiring a user to use a detached set of gloves to cover their hands. It would be helpful if such a hoodie having integrated gloves employed an attachment strap to releasably couple the gloves to the sleeve of the hoodie. It would be additionally desirable for such a hoodie having integrated gloves to include a reinforced sleeve and reinforced glove rim to make a more secured attachment.

The Applicant's invention described herein provides for a hoodie having integrated gloves adapted to provide a unitary garment that can cover the entire upper body of a user. The primary components in Applicant's hoodie having integrated gloves are a garment base, gloves, and an attachment system. When in operation, the hoodie having integrated gloves provides better overall protection for a users upper body while preventing the loss of the gloves. As a result, many of the limitations imposed by prior art structures are removed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A hoodie having integrated gloves defines a modified gloved garment for provide a unitary garment that can cover the entire upper body of a user. The modified gloved garment comprises a garment base that defines in one embodiment a defines a hooded sweatshirt, a sleeve attachment system integrated with the garment base, a pair of hand coverings such as gloves or mittens. In one embodiment, the attachment system includes a reinforced sleeve cuff on the garment base and an attachment strap. The attachment strap extends at one end from the sleeve cuff and is configured to engage the hand covering and attach at the other end to the sleeve cuff so as to couple the hand covering with the sleeve cuff. In this regard, the hand covering will remain coupled with the garment base whether the user is wearing the hand covering or not.

It is an object of this invention to provide a hoodie having integrated gloves which would provide full coverage for the upper body of a wearer without requiring a user to use a detached set of gloves to cover their hands.

It is another object of this invention to provide a hoodie having integrated gloves which employs an attachment strap to releasably couple the gloves to the sleeve of the hoodie.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide a hoodie having integrated gloves which includes a reinforced sleeve and reinforced glove rim to make a more secured attachment.

These and other objects will be apparent to one of skill in the art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a modified gloved garment built in accordance with a glove embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of a modified gloved garment built in accordance with a mitten embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the drawings and in particular FIGS. 1 and 2, a modified gloved garment 10 is shown having a garment base 11 with a sleeve attachment system, and a pair of gloves 14 or mittens 14′ (collectively referred to as hand coverings). In the illustrated embodiment, the garment base 11 defines a hooded sweatshirt and the attachment system is embodied by an attachment strap 12 and a reinforced sleeve cuff 13. It is contemplated that the sleeve cuff 13 may be reinforced by integrating a durable material, such as Kevlar, into the sleeve cuff 13. In one embodiment, the durable material is integrated into the sleeve cuff 13 by lining the interior surface and/or exterior surface of the sleeve cuff 13 therewith.

In one embodiment, the exterior surface of the sleeve cuff 13 has attached thereto a sleeve fastening portion, such as a surfacing of loop component of a hook and loop fastener (for use with a corresponding hook component surfacing on the attachment strap 12). In alternate embodiments, the sleeve fastening portion may define a snap fastener portion (for use with a corresponding snap fastener portion on the attachment strap 12) or button (for use with a button hole on the attachment strap 12).

The attachment strap 12 defines an elongated member that is attached at one end to the interior surface of the sleeve cuff 13 and has an attachment portion 13 a at the other end. In the illustrated embodiment, the attachment portion 13 a defines a hook component surfacing that corresponds to the loop component surfacing on the sleeve cuff 13 exterior. In other embodiments, the attachment portion 13 a defines a snap fastener portion or button hole which would correspond to the sleeve fastening portion on the sleeve cuff 13 exterior.

The hand coverings 14, 14′ define typical hand covering structures, such as gloves 14 or mittens 14′. Each of the hand coverings 14, 14′ includes a coupling aperture 15 in a reinforced wrist cuff 16. The coupling aperture 15 allows the attachment strap 12 to be looped through the hand covering 14, 14′ and then folded back over to attach to the sleeve fastening portion on the sleeve cuff 13 exterior (as shown on the right hand of FIG. 1 and left hand of FIG. 2) so as to allow the attachment strap 12 to releasably couple the hand covering 14, 14′ with the sleeve cuff 13.

It is contemplated that the reinforced wrist cuff 16 may be reinforced in the same manner as the sleeve cuff 13.

In an alternate embodiment of the present invention, the attachment strap is permanently attached at one end to the interior of the sleeve cuff and at the other end to the exterior of the sleeve cuff, while passing through the coupling aperture. In such an embodiment, the hand coverings each are permanently coupled to a sleeve cuff.

The instant invention has been shown and described herein in what is considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment. It is recognized, however, that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention and that obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A modified gloved garment, comprising: a garment base defining a shirt having a pair of sleeves, wherein each of said sleeves includes a sleeve cuff portion that has a interior surface and an exterior surface; a discrete hand covering associated with each sleeve, wherein each of said hand coverings include a wrist cuff portion; and a sleeve attachment system corresponding to each of said sleeves, wherein said sleeve attachment system is configured to engage the corresponding sleeve and the hand covering associated therewith so as to couple the associated hand covering with the corresponding sleeve.
 2. The modified gloved garment of claim 1, wherein: each of said hand coverings includes a coupling aperture through the wrist cuff portion; said sleeve attachment system includes an elongated attachment strap which extends from the sleeve cuff portion at one end and is adapted to attach to the sleeve cuff portion at the other end; and said sleeve attachment system is configured to engage the hand covering associated with the sleeve to which it corresponds through the passing of the attachment strap through the coupling aperture.
 3. The modified gloved garment of claim 1, wherein said attachment strap extends from interior surface of the sleeve cuff at one end and is adapted to attach to the exterior surface sleeve cuff at the other end.
 4. The modified gloved garment of claim 1, wherein said sleeve cuff portion is reinforced relative to the sleeve.
 5. The modified gloved garment of claim 1, wherein said wrist cuff portion is reinforced relative to the hand covering.
 6. A modified gloved garment, comprising: a garment base defining a shirt having a pair of sleeves, wherein each of said sleeves includes a reinforced sleeve cuff portion that has a interior surface and an exterior surface; a discrete hand covering associated with each sleeve, wherein each of said hand coverings include a reinforced wrist cuff portion; and a sleeve attachment system corresponding to each of said sleeves, wherein said sleeve attachment system is configured to engage the corresponding sleeve and the hand covering associated therewith so as to couple the associated hand covering with the corresponding sleeve.
 7. The modified gloved garment of claim 6, wherein: each of said hand coverings includes a coupling aperture through the wrist cuff portion; said sleeve attachment system includes an elongated attachment strap which extends from the sleeve cuff portion at one end and is adapted to attach to the sleeve cuff portion at the other end; and said sleeve attachment system is configured to engage the hand covering associated with the sleeve to which it corresponds through the passing of the attachment strap through the coupling aperture.
 8. The modified gloved garment of claim 7, wherein said attachment strap extends from interior surface of the sleeve cuff at one end and is adapted to attach to the exterior surface sleeve cuff at the other end.
 9. The modified gloved garment of claim 6, wherein said attachment strap extends from interior surface of the sleeve cuff at one end and is adapted to attach to the exterior surface sleeve cuff at the other end. 